Airplane



March 7, 1933.

H. c. TULLY AIRPLANE Filed Feb. 3, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I nvenior 17/0 C jJLLK g zmw A Home y H. C. TULLY March 7, 1533.

AIRPLANE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1952 I nvenior zL-Lrf I March 7, 1933. H. c. TULLY 1,900,473

AIRPLANE Filed Feb. 5, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Invenior le /cw C 044% A llorney Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES HUGH o. T LLY; on NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIRPLANE Application filed February'S, 1932. Serial No. 590,683.

The present'invention relates to newxand useful improvements in heavier than air flying machines. 7

It is one ,of the primary Objects of the :1? present invention to provide a new and improved type of airplane of the heavier than air type which will be highly efiicient in flight, simple of, manufacture, and easily controlled with safety prevailingv under any and all conditions. a p

A. feature of the invention. resides in a novel form of supporting wing structure and operating means therefor.

, A further feature of the invention resides V in; a new and novel arrangement of control rudders for controlling the direction of flight of the airplane. i r

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of rudders and novel operating meansltherefor by which the rudders may be operated to forma parachute of the main supporting wing thus assuring safety in landing. V

A further feature of the invention resides in a novel mechanism for operating the main supporting wing to control the angle: of air incidence of said supporting wing and there by keeping the car orcarrier parallel with the earth at all times. a

' Other features of the invention relate to certain novel and improved constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in'the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. 1 1 v The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings illustratingthe invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of-the construction therein shown. 2. .7 I

In the drawings: 1 i a g Figure 1 is a view in side elevationillustrating an airplane constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is a detail fragmentary plan view of a portion of the stabilizing mechanism,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the airplane,

Figure 5 is a detail plan view of a portion of the control mechanism, the view being taken on an enlarged scale,

,Figure 6 is aifragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, and showing a per: tion of the control mechanism, and V s c Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view... Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference character 10' designates the fuselage of the airplane, and said fuselanding gear 11. Asbest illustrated in F igure 6, the fuselagemay be formed of metal a or other suitable material and is'preferably of hollow form having pointed ends 12. The

lage is provided at each of its ends with a 50 fuselage is ,so constructed as to be water tight and serves as a boat or pontoon when landing on water thereby providing a ship of the so called amphibian type. v v p The landing gear heretofore mentioned consists preferably of a pair of wheels 13 mounted at each end of the fuselage 10 and as best illustrated in Figure 2, each of these wheels 13 is carried in a swinging bracket like mem-. ber 14 and projecting from the axle of each wheel there is a forked member 15 the upper end of which is received in a cylinder 16.

This construction provides a shock absorber for each wheel of thelanding gear'it being understood that the bracket members 14. in

whichthe wheels are mounted are pivotally so connected as at 18 to the fuselage and that the cvlinders 16 are likewise pivotally connected as at 19 to the fuselage.

Motors 20 are employed for driving theair- V plane'and in the present embodiment of the invention,therevare four of these motors, two forward ones and two after motors. These motors are supported and braced from the fuselage by suitable frame workcompr-ising the members 21, 22, 23, 24, 26 and'27, and the motors are herein illustrated as supported beneath the supporting wing and directly 7 over the fuselage 10. 7 a

The reference character 30 designates the main supporting wing and said wing is transversely curved as best indicated in Figure 2. In t e present embodiment of the invention,

this wing 30 is of rectangular form and is car'- 7 ried bythecfuselage inssuch a manner that the longitudinal axis of the wing is parallel This last mentioned construction is best illus- 7 trated in Figures 1 and 6 of the drawings.

Means is provided to rockthe wing about its I pivotal point or the axis 31 to obtain the proper air incidence for rest, at starting, when in flight and landing, andthis' means as herein illustrated comprises a chain 50. This chain is connected at its ends as at 51 to the under surface of the wing and said chain passes between a pair of sprockets 52 and idle pulleys or the like 53, carried by the fuselage 10 as best illustrated in Figure'7. 1

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that as the chain is moved between these sprockets and the idle pulleys, the ends of the supporting wing will be tilted, dependentof course upon the direction of movement of the chain 50.

Means is provided to drive one of the sprockets, and by referenceto Figure 5 it will be noted that this means com rises a transversely extending shaft 55 to W ich one of the sprockets is secured or keyed. This shaft carries a worm gear 56 and meshing with said worm gear there is a worm 57 which in turn is carried-by a vertically'disposed shaft 58 and this shaft 58 is operated manually preferably by means of a hand wheel 59. Thus as the hand wheel 59 is rotated, through the medium of the shaft 58 the worm 57 will drive the worm gear 56 to rotate the shaft 55 and operate the chain 50 to cause the wing to be tilted about its transversely extending axis. By reference to the plan view, Figure 4, it will be noted that there are two such chains and that they are operated from the common operating means by reason of the shaft 55 which extends transversely of the machine.

Guy wires or the like are secured at their ends as at 71 to the under surface of the supporting wing, and as best ilustrated in Figure 5-ofthe drawings these guy wires 70 pass around idle pulleys 72 of which there is one for each guy wire 70 and these pulleys are preferably independent of each other. The action of these guy wires is similar to" a cantilever in that the pull upward on one end of the wing will react in a pull downwardly on the other end.

Means is provided to steer the plane in flight, and this means consists of a plurality of rudders 75 arranged to operate about vertical axes as best illustrated in Figure 1. As

illustrated in Figure 1 these. rudders are arcable 78 is crossed as at 80 in order that the rudders operated, thereby will be moved in the proper direction in relation to the rudders operated by the cable 79. These cables? 8 and 7 9' pass around pulleys and 86 respeca tively and said pulleys are mounted upon a universal joint 80 carried by avertically extending shaft 88. Mounted on this shaft near its lower end there is a bevel gear 89 and meshing therewith there is a bevel gear 90 which is carried by a shaft 91. The opposite end of this shaft 91' carries a bevel gear 92 and meshing therewith there is a bevel gear 93 which is carried uponthe upper end of a vertical shaft 74. The vertical shaft 74: has mounted nearits lower end; a worm gear and meshingtherewith, there is a worm carried by theshaft 102 and said-shaft has a hand wheel 103 by means of which it may be manually operated.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that as the hand wheel 103-is operated,

through the gearing heretofore described and the shafts 91 and-88, the pulleys 85 and 86 will be operated to in turnoperate the'rudders 75 to the desired angle to steer the ship in flight. 7

It will also be noted that the rudders may be turned to position where they completely close the ends of the main supporting wing in which position,:these rudders serve two functions, i. e., first, they completely close the ends .of the main supporting wing, thereby transforming it into a parachute'for landing and second, in this last mentioned position with the ship. in flight, they serveas brakes to retard the flight of the ship.

Asuitable stabilizing device such as one or more gyroscopes is employed, and this device is designated in the drawings. By reference to Figure 3, it will be noted that the gyroscope 110 consists of suitable'rotat ing elements 111 mounted in a frame. 112 which in turn is fixedly mounted as at '113'by means of set screws or the'like'113. The rotatable members 111 may be driven in any desiredmanner, preferably electrically.

From the foregoing, 'it-will be apparent that the present invention provides, a new and novel form of aircraft which is highly efficient in operation, simple of manufacture, and safe and easy to control. 1 While the invention has beenhereinillusits iis

its

trated in its preferred form, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to the specific construction herein disclosed and that it may be practiced in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an airplane, a main supporting wing arranged with its longitudinalaxis extending for and aft of the plane, and a plurality of control rudders mounted at each end of the wing said control rudders at each end of the wing overlapping each other in contacting relation when moved to either limits of their movement.

2. In an airplane, a main supporting wing arranged with its longitudinal axis extending fore and aft of the plane, a plurality of control rudders mounted at each end of said wing said control rudders at each end of the wing overlapping each other in contacting relation when moved to either limits of their movement, and means for simultaneously operating said rudders.

3. In an airplane, a fuselage, a main supporting wing carried by said fuselage and arranged above the same with its longitudinal axis extending fore and aft of the plane, said wing being transversely curved, a plurality of vertically disposed steering rudders arranged below said wing, and at each end thereof said rudders overlapping each other in contacting relation when moved to either limit of their movement, and means for simultaneously operating said rudders.

projecting beyond the adjacent end of the wing. I

8. In an airplane, a fuselage, a main supporting wing having a transversely curved under surface, a group of vertically disposed rudders mounted at each end of said wing and arranged within the confines of the curvature of its under surface, means for simultaneously operating one rudder in each group, and means for operatingthe remaining rudders in each group from the operated rudders of the group.

9. A supporting wing for airplanes comprising a main body portion curved transversely of its line offiight, and having open ends, and means for closing said open ends to form a parachute of said main supporting wing, said last mentioned means comprising a plurality of vertically disposed rudders arranged in groups at the leading and trail ing edges of said wing.

10. A supporting wing for airplanes comprising a main body portion curved transversely of its line of flight, and having open ends, and means for closing said open ends to form a parachute of said main supporting wing, said last mentioned means comprising a plurality of vertically disposed rudders arranged in groups at the leading and trailing edges of said wing, and means for simultaneously operating said groupsof rudders.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HUGH C. TULLY.

4. In an airplane, a main supporting wing arranged with its longitudinal axis extending longitudinally of the plane, said wing being transversely curved, and a plurality of control rudders mounted at each end of said wing, and arranged within the transverse curved portion thereof, and means for simultaneously operating said rudders.

5. In an airplane, a fuselage, a main supporting wing arranged above said fuselage, means for pivotally mounting said supporting wing above said fuselage, means for tilting said wing, guy wires for said wing, said guy wires having their ends attached to end portions of said wing and pulleys carried by the fuselage and around which intermediate portions of the wires contact.

6. In an airplane, a fuselage, a main supporting wing having a transversely curved under surface, and a plurality of vertically disposed rudders mounted at each end of said wing and arranged wholly within the curvature of the under face of said wing.

7. In an airplane, a fuselage, a main supporting wing having a transversely curved under surface, and a plurality of vertically disposed rudders mounted at each end of said wing and arranged wholly Within the curva- 

